Pouring mechanism for casting molten metal and the like



Aug. 27, 1957 F. J. PRUCHA ET AL 2,803,851

POURING MECHANISM FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL AND THE LIKE Filed May 10,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TORS Fm/vK I FRuc/M ATTb/PNEY Aug. 27, 1957J, PRUCHA ET AL 2,803,861

POURING MECHANISM FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL. AND THE LIKE Filed May 10,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I5 [j ,3 l

l6 5 l II\ i i Z2 fl' 54 5 25 J Z lg INVENTORS FRANKIPRUCHA ERNEST GABERSFELLER 9, 5%

ATTORNEY ite POURING MECHANISM FOR CASTING MOLTEN METAL AND THE LIKEFrank J. Prucha and Ernest G. Abersieller, Grnaha, Nelm, assignors toAmerican Smelting and Refining (Iompany, New York, N. Y., a corporationof New Jersey Application May 10, 1955, Serial No. 507,264

2 Claims. (Cl. 22-79) This invention relates to pouring mechanism foreasting molten metal and the like. More particularly, it relates topouring mechanism provided with an improved stop-cock means for castingsuch material and especially for casting relatively low melting metalssuch as lead.

The general object of the invention is to provide pouring mechanismwhich is simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient inoperation.

Another object is to provide in such mechanism an improved stop-cockarrangement which will permit a submerged stream of the material to bepoured into a mold at a controlled rate, thereby reducing turbulence andoxidation in the material to be cast.

A further object is to provide pouring means which is easily moved intoand out of pouring position with re spect to a mold.

Another object is to provide pouring mechanism with improved clean-outfeatures. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing more detailed description.

The invention is further illustrated in the accompanying drawings whichillustrate the preferred form thereof. It should be understood, however,that the drawings are given for purposes of illustration and that theinvention in its broader aspects is not limited thereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the pouringmechanism in position over an open top mold.

Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is generally similar to Fig. 1 but showing the spout in theraised and in the clean-out positions.

Fig. 4 is a view of the stop-cock taken along 4-4 of Fig. 1 in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of thearroWs, showing the stop-cock in the open position A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5 showing the stopcock in position B of Fig.1.

Fig. 7 is also similar to Fig. 5 showing the stop-cock in position C ofFig. 3.

Fig. 8 is likewise similar to Fig. 5 showing the stopcock in position Dof Fig. 3.

Referring now to Figs. 1 through 3, there is shown molten metal supplypipe 1 provided at one end with a stop-cock 2, with a spout 3 attachedto the latter for pouring molten metal, such as lead, into mold 4.Molten metal may be supplied to pipe 1 from a suitable source (notshown) by means of conduit 5 which may be removably attached to pipe 1as by a conventional threaded joint 6. As shown, conduit 5 may berota-tably mounted on post 7 by means of swivel 8 so as to move thespout 3 over and away from the mold 4. The pipe 1 may also be supportedby red 9 attached to the pipe and to a suitable overhead structure (notshown).

The mold or molds 4 may be water cooled and may be provided with flanges10 which rest upon a frame 11 with the bottom and at least part of themold sides immersed in water contained in tank 12. A series of molds maybe arranged in an appropriate circle about post 7 for casting aplurality of ingots; the pipe 1 being rotated about the post to positionthe spout 3 over the respective molds.

The details of the stop-cock construction are shown in greater detail inFig. 4. The stop-cock comprises the casing 13 and the rotary plug 14.The casing is provided with a straight passage 15 and is mounted at oneend of the passage upon the pipe 1, with the passage aligned with thepipe. The other end of the passage is provided with a removable closure16. The casing may be provided with threads at each end of the passageadapted to receive corresponding threads on the end of pipe 1 and on theclosure 16 respectively.

The casing is also provided with a seat 17 adapted to receive the plug14, with the axis of the latter transverse to and passing through thepassage 15. Preferably, the seat 17 is conical in shape and forms aconical passage through the casing. The rotary plug 14 is likewiseconical with a taper corresponding to that of the seat 17. Preferablyalso, the plug 14 extends through the casing and is provided with athreaded shank 18 on its narrower end; the shank being adapted toreceive washer 19 and nut 20. A snug fit between the plug 14 and theseat 17 is maintained regardless of wear, by.

appropriately tightening the nut on the shank 18. The axis of the plug14 and the seat therefor are advantageously disposed in a horizontalplane as shown in Fig. 4.

The plug 14 is also provided witha cross passage 22 located in the plugso as to move into and out of communication with the casing passage 15upon rotation of the plug about the latters axis. Plug 14 is furtherprovided wtih an axial passage 23 which communicates with the crosspassage 22. The spout 3 is axially connected to the plug 14 incommunication with the axial passage 23.

Preferably, the spent 3 has the curved construction, shown in Figs. 1, 3and 4-. It is adapted to move into and out of the mold 4 in a verticalplane about the easing by providing a bend 24, usually of about at aposition adjacent to the spouts connection to the plug; the bend leadinginto the straight portion 25 of the spout. The spout may also beprovided with handle 27 for moving the spout and the plug attachedthereto, into various positions during the pouring operation.Advantageously, the handle is disposed with its axis in a plane parallelto that of the portion 25 and is attached to the latter was to formtherewith an angle, usually of about 90. Advantageously also, thedistribution. of the weight of the handle and its angle with respect tothe spout is such, taken with the friction between the plug 14 and theseat 17, as to maintain the spout in the position d shown in Fig. 3 whenthe spout is moved to this position.

In the operation of the pouring mechanism, the pouring position of thespout is determined by its edge 28 resting upon the bottom of the mold,as shown in position a in Fig. 1. in this position substantially all themetal is delivered to the mold as a submerged stream. In addition, thespout is attached to the plug 14 so that, while in position a, thestop-cock is only partially open, as shown in Fig. 5. Advantageously,while in this position, the stop-cock is not more than about one-halfopen, i. e., not more than about one-half of the cross sectional area ofcross passage 22 in plug 14 is in communication with the straightpassage 15 in the casing 13. Preferably, the stop-cock is aboutone-quarter open.

The feature of having the stop-cock only partially open while the spoutis in the pouring position permits the metal to be introduced into mold4 at a controlled rate, thereby preventing too rapid a flow of moltenmetal into the mold, whereby turbulence and oxidation of the metalduring casting is reduced. At the same time, this feature permits theuse of dimensions in passages 15 and 22 of the stop-cock which aresufiiciently large to facilitate cleaning.

The spout remains in the pouring position until the mold 4 is filled;then it is readily and easily rotated about the plug 14 by means ofhandle 27 to raise the spout to the position in Fig. '3 where it isclear of the mold. When the spout is in position c, the cross passage 22in the plug is in the closed position shown in Fig. 7. Thereafter thepouring mechanism may be removed to the right or left about the post 7on the swivel 8, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in order to move the spout 3from its position over the mold and, if desired, to a position overanother mold. When the metal in the mold is solidified, the ingot isremoved in any desired manner. While moving the pouring mechanism inthis manner, the spout is held in position c by the friction between theplug 14 and seat 17 and the weight of the handle 27.

The feature of the partially opened stop-cock in the pouring positionagain comes into play when the spout is raised to position 0 in Fig. 3or when it is lowered from this latter position to the pouring positiona of Fig. 1. In thus raising or lowering the spout, it passes throughposition b indicated in Fig. 1. In position b, the end 28 of the spoutis removed from the bottom of the mold by only a relatively shortdistance. However, in this position the cross passage 22 in the plug 14is in the entirely closed position shown in Fig. 6. This insures thespout being in a low position while molten metal is flowing into themold, and thus minimizes the free fall of metal into the mold. Thus,exposure of the pouring stream to atmospheric oxidation is reduced to aminimum. In addition, turbulence of the molten metal in the mold isfurther reduced, thereby further reducing oxidation of the metal.

If at any time it becomes desirable or necessary to clean pipe 1 or thestop-cockfor example, due to material freezing therein, this may beaccomplished by moving the pouring mechanism from its position over themold and lowering the spout to position d shown in Fig. 3. This bringsthe cross passage 22 into complete alignment with passage 15 in casing13, as shown in Fig. 8. The closure 16 may then be removed so that thestop-cock and the pipe 1 may be cleaned readily and easily.

It will thus be seen that the invention affords a pouring mechanismwhich is simple and inexpensive to construct. It likewise permits asubmerged stream of-the material to be poured into a mold at acontrolled rate with a minimum of turbulence and exposure to atmosphericair, thereby providing an efficient pouring operation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lead pouring mechanism, a mold, a supply pipe adapted to supplysaid mold with molten lead, a stop-cock connected to the discharge endof said supply pipe, said stop-cock comprising a casing having a firstpassage communication with said supply pipe, a second casing passageadapted to receive and seat a rotary plug, said second passagecommunicating with said first passage and being generally transverse tothe latter, a rotary plug disposed and seated in said second casingpassage, said plug having a cross passage capable of being moved intoand out of communication with said first casing passage upon rotation ofthe plug in the second casing passage, an axial passage in said plugcommunicating with'said cross passage, and a spout communicating withsaid axial plug passage for delivering molten lead from said plug tosaid mold, said spout being connected to and rotatable with said plug,the axis of the discharge end of said spout being generally transverseto said axial plug passage, the linear dimension of said spout beingsuch that the discharge end of the spout is capable of being moved to aposition closely adjacent the mold A. bottom when the spout is rotatedabout said casing, the disposition of said spout on said plug inrelation to said cross plug passage being such as to provide a spoutpouring position upon rotating the spout about the casing in which thedischarge end of the spout is in close proximity to the bottom of saidmold and said cross plug passage is in partial communication with saidfirst casing passage whereby substantially all of the molten leadsupplied to said mold is delivered thereto as a submerged stream therebyreducing turbulence and oxidation of the molten lead in the mold duringcasting.

2. In a lead pouring mechanism, an open top mold,- a supply pipe adaptedto supply said mold with molten lead, a stop cock connected to thedischarge end of said supply pipe, said stop-cock comprising a casinghaving a straight transverse passage therethrough aligned with andcommunicating at one end with said supply pipe, said casing having aremovable passage closure at the other end of said passage, a conicalpassage in said casing communicating with said first passage and adaptedto receive and seat a conical plug, the axis of said conical passagebeing transverse to and passing through the axis of said first passage,a rotary plug disposed and seated in said conical passage, said plughaving a straight cross passage therethrough, the center of said crosspassage being approximately in alignment with the axis of said firstcasing passage, said cross passage being movable into and out ofcommunications with said first casing passage upon rotation of said plugin the conical casing passage, an axial passage in said plugcommunicating with said cross passage, a spout communicating with saidaxial plug passage for delivery of molten lead from said plug to saidmold, said spout being connected to and rotatable with said plug, theaxis of the discharge end of said spout being generally transverse tosaid axial plug passage, the linear dimension of said spout being suchthat the discharge end of the spout is capable of resting in the bottomof the mold when the spout is rotated about said casing, the dispositionof said spout on said plug in relation to said cross plug passage beingsuch as to provide a spout pouring position upon rotation of the spoutabout the casing in which the discharge end of the spout is resting uponthe bottom of the mold and in which pouring position said cross plugpassage is partially in communication with said first casing passagewhereby substantially all of the molten lead supplied to said mold isdelivered thereto as a submerged stream thereby reducing turbulence andoxidation of the molten lead in the mold during casting, saiddisposition of the spout on said plug providing a closed position uponrotating the spoutto remove the discharge end thereof from the mold inwhich position said cross plug passage is wholly out of communicationwith said first casing passage, said disposition of the spout on saidplug providing a clean-cut position upon further rotation of the spoutabout'the casing in which position said cross plug passage is in fullcommunication with said first casing passage whereby upon removal ofsaid straight passage closure cleaning of said supply pipe isfacilitated, and means for moving said supply pipe to move said spoutinto and out of registry with said mold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain Nov. 15,- 1876

